Military
This article is about the federal military forces of First Nation, including the Army, the Navy, and the Marine Corps, which are collectively commanded by a Marshal. For the military of the United Villages of the Chaos, see Chaos Army and Chaos Navy. Until LY 901, there were no standing armed forces on The Land, as there had never been need of them. There had never been any conflicts on a large enough scale to call wars, at least none that were officially recorded. But in 897, The Order began the implementation of The Plan, though it would be a few years before outsiders became aware of this. In the first year of The Plan, they founded the village of Near Port, on the east coast of Near Land, roughly halfway between the villages of Kimrin (also on Near Land) and Port (on Rain Isle). At that time, a secret alliance was formed between the three villages, which became unofficially known as the Northern Alliance. However, it wasn't until 901 that armies and navies were secretly raised in the Northern Alliance, in anticipation of dissent against the Plan. (All armies were collectively referred to as the Army, and all navies collectively as the Navy.) The armies received much of their training from the police, and the navies from the Coast Guard. In 902, the Protestant Movement was begun in Plist, but it wasn't until 903 that it began raising armies to oppose the Plan, in Plist, Triscot, Tanq, and Jump Village. At the same time, the village of Shanty was established, west of Triscot, and there (as well as in Tanq and Jump Village) Protestant navies were raised. At the head of the Order's Army was a General named Poss. During the war (known as the Coming of the Order), each village's army was commanded by a major, though after the war, individual armies (now referred to as "regiments") would be headed by colonels, a previously nonexistent rank. Under colonels are majors, then captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and then soldiers. (This last rank is confusing to many civilians, who usually think of the term as applying to all members of the Army, regardless of rank.) At the head of the Order's Navy was an Admiral named Drake, who was technically equal in rank to the Army's general, though each had superiority on their own domain, land or sea. Individual navies (since the war referred to as "fleets") are headed by commodores while in their home ports, or rear admirals while on missions. (Commodores and rear admirals are of technically equal rank.) Individual ships within each fleet are commanded by captains. Under captains are commanders, then lieutenants, ensigns, and then sailors. (As with the rank of "soldier" in the Army, the term "sailor" is often assumed by civilians to refer to all members of the Navy, regardless of rank.) To an extent, the Protestant armies and navies followed the Order's model, though they had less time to organize, so they included fewer ranks. Also, each army was headed by a general, though of course this was equivalent to the Order's majors, at the time. Each navy was headed by an admiral, equivalent to the Order's rear admirals. Under generals were captains, lieutenants, and corporals (the last being equivalent to the Order's soldiers, though the middle ranks are impossible to qualify with any certainty). Under admirals were captains, lieutenants, and sailors. One lieutenant on each ship would be designated the first mate, equivalent to the Order's commanders; first mates would sometimes be referred to as "lieutenant commanders," though this was not an official rank. In a technical sense, they ranked no higher than other lieutenants, though this likely would have changed, in time. However, after the war all Protestant armies and navies were officially disbanded. After the war, a new military rank was established by the Second Order, that of Marshal. The Marshal is the highest ranking officer in the armed forces, to whom the General of the Army and the Admiral of the Navy report. The Commandant of the Marine Corps also reports to the Marshal; though during the war, the Marines were allied with the Protestant Movement. The Marshal himself (or herself) reports directly to the reigning King or Queen of First Nation. The first Marshall was Poss, who was replaced as General by former Major Tovan. See also *Coast Guard *List of jobs *Who Watches the Watch Monogs? Category:Groups